Archive for category: Uncategorized

The single biggest problem that BJJ beginner students face: When people begin the study of Jiu-Jitsu, they often see it as a matter of learning a sufficient number of moves in sufficient detail to be able to hold their own on the mat with their classmates. Certainly there is a lot of truth to this. Here at Savarese BJJ Academy (www.bjjlyndhurst.com) we see the main problem a little differently. The human body has some fundamental and very important imbalances. An obvious example is the left side/right side balance. People are either right handed or left handed and will be stronger and more coordinated on their strong side. Another extremely important balance is that between upper body and lower body strength and coordination. We are all much stronger in the lower body than our upper body. If I asked you to walk several times across the Academy, you could do this easily and with little effort. If I asked you to walk several lengths of the Academy on your hands in a handstand, even if you had the balance skills to do so, it would be a strenuous and tiring workout. If I asked you to sign your name on paper with your hand, you would do so easily. If I asked you to sign your name holding the pen in your toes it would be a real struggle. Humans are insanely stronger and less coordinated in the lower than upper body. This has clear ramifications for Jiu-Jitsu training. We must learn to grapple (and defend) predominantly with our lower body (legs). This means we have to overcome the lack of lower body coordination that most of us bring into the sport. As a beginner, you must put your primary focus upon development of coordination and dexterity in your legs so that you learn to grapple with them.  You must overcome the natural beginners tendency to grapple with the upper body and learn to let your legs do most of the work. Every time you drill moves, be mindful of letting your legs do the majority of the work involved. There is no shortcut here, it will take time. but let me assure you that forming a strong connection of your mind to your legs (knowledge to action) will be the single biggest skill you need to grow in Jiu-Jitsu.

Lets have a conversation about The Americana aka Keylock in BJJ. Many believe the Americana aka Keylock in BJJ is the great under performer among the various submission holds of Jiu-Jitsu: The soul of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu resides in its submission holds. There are around fifteen to twenty families of submission holds, each with many many variations in technique and entries. These core submission holds are seen all the time in competition. The Arm bar, the triangle, the rear naked choke, the arm-triangle etc etc. are constantly seen successfully applied in all levels of competition in all weight divisions and all belt levels. There is however, one well known and foundational submission hold that has a truly miserable success rate. In fact, in the 30 years I am training, I cannot think of even a single example of it working successfully in black belt competition at the world championship level gi or no gi. I will go further and say I cannot even recall seeing it successfully applied in local tournaments above purple belt and personally I cannot remember ever seeing a black belt be submitted by it even in the gym. This must make it the single worst performing submission hold among the various foundational submissions in our sport, no? Most of the other submissions perform brilliantly, but the success rate of this one is an utter disaster. can you guess what it is? It is the Americana lock. The only example of it being used successfully that I can recall is a UFC 152 fight by Jon Jones on a badly battered and exhausted Vitor Belfort. That is the only time I have seen it in an MMA fight (and at that point Mr Jones could have submitted him with any lock he chose). This is very unusual, most core moves of the sport have excellent success rates. The American lock is unquestionably a core lock of the sport, taught often at beginner level around the world. In fact, it is usually one of the first submissions we learn and a staple of beginner classes everywhere, yet it scores so few victories that I would understand if an instructor simply stopped teaching it above white belt level. (although the keylock serves as a great set-up to attain the S-Mount position to attack choke and armlocks). Interestingly the American lock is actually very strong and potentially devastating once it is applied. Any type of 2 on 1 hold is. The failure is not mechanical, an American lock will break an arm just as surely as a kimura or armlock or any other (in fact I would argue that the breaking potential of a well applied American lock is superior to most other joint locks, it’s very strong when done well) So why the failure to be successfully applied in competition? If it’s not mechanical, the failure must reside in set-ups and entry and in ability to cope with resistance and counters. Do you think this great failure of the submission family can be rehabilitated? Can we improve our set ups to make this lock work in competition?

Preservation in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the key components to reaching blackbelt. Here are some more tidbits about Preservation in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you can preserve your BALANCE, then you can see and react well to every threat and at a moment’s notice launch your own attacks. If you can preserve your COMPOSURE then you can make good decisions even under stress. If you can preserve your BREATHING you can outlast an opponent who matches you in skill and strength. Keep your balance, your composure and your breathing under control whilst denying them to your opponent and you’ll find victory far more often than not. In addition, preserving your BODY is also very important. When your body is screaming for a rest, give it a rest. If you are injured, take some time off. Just go to class and watch. In that case, you are still training your mind. Sometimes, you can learn more from watching than training. Preserving your mind is also important, you cannot let your ego get the best of you during training. The goal has to be growth and acquiring skill and to do that, you have to fail first. Do not be scared to fail. The only way to succeed is by failing first. there is no success without failure. These lessons are taught daily at Savarese BJJ (www.bjjlyndhurst.com). If you practice and master these keys to preservation, you will continue to improve little by little, day by day, month by month, year by year. Remember, you only need to be better than you were the day before, strive to be 1% better than you were yesterday. If your goal is to be a blackbelt someday, heed this advice. Best of luck on your BJJ journey, we are pulling for you!